Prostate glove with receiver fibers

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve measuring a prostate or other object. In some embodiments, a membrane can be sealed over a digit extension to form a closed volume. The closed volume can be inflated via an inflation tube, and a reference pattern can be disposed within the closed volume along with a measurement assembly. In use, a user can put on the glove, position the membrane in proximity to a rectal wall overlying a prostate, and inflate the membrane. As the user slides their finger across the rectal wall, optical fibers in the measurement assembly can move relative to a reference pattern, and a controller can sense light reflected through the fibers from the reference pattern. The controller can calculate or estimate various attributes of the prostate based on the reflected light, such as the palpable surface width or volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An examination device, comprising:
 a glove comprising a plurality of digit extensions; 
 a membrane that is separate from the glove and disposed over an exterior of the glove, the membrane defining an interior volume between an inner surface of the membrane and an outer surface of the glove, the membrane being disposed over only a single digit extension of the glove; 
 a reference pattern disposed within the interior volume of the membrane; 
 an illumination fiber extending into the interior volume of the membrane and configured to transmit light to the reference pattern through an output window; 
 a first receiving fiber extending into the interior volume of the membrane and configured to receive light reflected from the reference pattern through a first input window; and 
 a second receiving fiber extending into the interior volume of the membrane and configured to receive light reflected from the reference pattern through a second input window; 
 wherein the illumination fiber, the first receiving fiber, and the second receiving fiber are separate and distinct from one another; 
 wherein the first and second receiving fibers are configured to be coupled to a controller that calculates a measurement distance based on movement of the first and second receiving fibers relative to the reference pattern. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the output window is formed in a terminal distal end of the illumination fiber, the first input window is formed in a terminal distal end of the first receiving fiber, and the second input window is formed in a terminal distal end of the second receiving fiber. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the output window, the first input window, and the second input window are disposed adjacent to one another in a delta configuration. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reference pattern includes a plurality of indicia arranged along a measurement axis and wherein the first input window and the second input window are arranged in a line that is substantially parallel to the measurement axis. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of indicia include a series of lines spaced equally along the measurement axis. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination fiber, the first receiving fiber, and the second receiving fiber are configured to transmit near infrared light. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination fiber, the first receiving fiber, and the second receiving fiber each have a diameter of approximately 0.5 mm. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first receiving fiber is coupled to a first optical sensor and the second receiving fiber is coupled to a second optical sensor. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second receiving fibers are positioned such that light reflected from a feature of the reference pattern is transmitted through the first and second receiving fibers at different times as the first and second fibers are moved relative to the reference pattern, such that a direction of movement of the first and second receiver fibers relative to the reference pattern can be determined. 
     
     
       10. An examination device, comprising:
 a membrane defining an interior volume, the membrane being configured to surround only a single finger of a user; 
 a reference pattern disposed within the interior volume of the membrane; 
 an illumination fiber extending into the interior volume of the membrane and configured to transmit light to the reference pattern through an output window; 
 a first receiving fiber extending into the interior volume of the membrane and configured to receive light reflected from the reference pattern through a first input window; and 
 a second receiving fiber extending into the interior volume of the membrane and configured to receive light reflected from the reference pattern through a second input window; 
 wherein the illumination fiber, the first receiving fiber, and the second receiving fiber are separate and distinct from one another; 
 wherein the first and second receiving fibers are arranged with respect to the reference pattern such that a direction in which the first and second receiving fibers are moved with respect to the reference pattern can be determined based on a timing at which each of the first and second receiving fibers receives light reflected from the reference pattern; and 
 wherein the first and second receiving fibers are configured to be coupled to a controller that calculates a measurement distance based on movement of the first and second receiving fibers relative to the reference pattern. 
 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the output window is formed in a terminal distal end of the illumination fiber, the first input window is formed in a terminal distal end of the first receiving fiber, and the second input window is formed in a terminal distal end of the second receiving fiber. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the output window, the first input window, and the second input window are disposed adjacent to one another in a delta configuration. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the reference pattern includes a plurality of indicia arranged along a measurement axis and wherein the first input window and the second input window are arranged in a line that is substantially parallel to the measurement axis. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of indicia include a series of lines spaced equally along the measurement axis. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the illumination fiber, the first receiving fiber, and the second receiving fiber are configured to transmit near infrared light. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the illumination fiber, the first receiving fiber, and the second receiving fiber each have a diameter of approximately 0.5 mm. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the first receiving fiber is coupled to a first optical sensor and the second receiving fiber is coupled to a second optical sensor. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second receiving fibers are positioned such that light reflected from a feature of the reference pattern is transmitted through the first and second receiving fibers at different times as the first and second fibers are moved relative to the reference pattern, such that a direction of movement of the first and second receiver fibers relative to the reference pattern can be determined.